Pallet for bulk bags and the like

ABSTRACT

A non-wood pallet includes a support sheet and at least a pair of channel members disposed on the support sheet for creating a pair of channels for receiving tines of a forklift. Each channel member is secured to the support sheet by at least one pair of tabs each formed by a generally U-shaped cut line extending through the support sheet. The cut line has spaced opposite ends between which a hinge line extends, the hinge line being formed by the support sheet being locally crushed, with resultant thickness reduction, along a path extending between the opposite ends of the cut line. Opposite ends of each cut line are curved away from each other so as to lengthen the hinge line. The tabs are fastened to the channel members by fastening devices such as elongate fastening members (e.g., adhesive tape), staples, adhesive, hook-and-loop fasteners, or the like.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to pallets facilitating the lifting andtransportation of items such as flexible intermediate bulk containers,also variously referred to as flexible bulk containers or bulk bags, orother items such as stacks of smaller bags, using forklifts or the like.

Various types of flowable bulk materials are contained and transportedusing bulk bags. A typical bulk bag comprises a large bag constructedprincipally of woven fabric and having a generally cuboid or cylindricalshape when filled. A filled bulk bag in some cases may weigh thousandsof pounds. It is common for such bulk bags to be supported onconventional wood pallets that can be lifted by forklifts. However,because of the well-known drawbacks of wood pallets, efforts have beenmade to substitute a paper-based pallet for the traditional wood pallet.For example, a cardboard pallet known as the LOADRIGHT pallet has beenproduced by the assignee of the present application.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE

The present disclosure is directed toward improvements to non-woodpallets such as the LOADRIGHT pallet.

In accordance with one embodiment described herein, a non-wood palletincludes a support sheet (which can be of cardboard, plastic,plastic-coated paper, etc.), the support sheet having a thickness andlying generally in a plane. A pair of channel members are disposed onthe support sheet, the channel members extending parallel to each otherand being spaced apart, thus creating a pair of channels for receivingtines of a forklift.

Each channel member is secured to a pair of tabs located adjacentlaterally opposite sides of the respective channel member. Each tabcomprises an integral portion of the support sheet formed by a cut lineof generally U-shaped configuration extending through the thickness ofthe support sheet. The cut line has spaced opposite ends between which ahinge line extends, the hinge line for each tab being formed by thesupport sheet being locally crushed with resultant thickness reductionalong a path extending between the opposite ends of the cut line. Thehinge lines are free of any cutting of the paperboard material of thesupport sheet.

The tabs are rotated about the respective hinge lines such that the tabsproject out of the plane of the support sheet.

Opposite ends of each cut line are locally curved away from each otherso as to lengthen the hinge line. This enhances the strength of thetabs; specifically, the lengthening of the hinge lines increases theresistance of the tabs to being torn away from the support sheet.

In one embodiment, each tab is crushed such that a thickness of the tabis less than the thickness of the support sheet. This can make it easierto bend the tabs so that they generally conform to the cylindrical topsurface of the channel members. The reduced tab thickness can alsoreduce the stress concentration on the channel members caused by theweight of the bulk bag exerted on the tabs.

In a further embodiment, each tab has rounded corners at a side of thetab opposite from the hinge line. This can reduce the likelihood of thesupport sheet tearing at the corresponding corners of the resulting holein the support sheet. The rounded corners of the tabs also can reducethe likelihood of the tabs being snagged by something, such as the bulkbag.

In another embodiment, there is a finger hole for each tab, the fingerhole extending through the tab to allow a finger or tool to be insertedtherein and pulled in order to rotate the tab about the hinge line. Thefinger hole for each tab can straddle the cut line defining the tab suchthat the finger hole is partially formed in the tab and partially formedin a portion of the support sheet adjacent the tab.

In a further embodiment, the channel members are secured to the tabs byelongate fastening members that extend along upper surfaces of thechannel members and are secured to the tabs. The fastening members cancomprise an adhesive tape having a lower surface on which an adhesive isdisposed, the adhesive being adhered to the upper surface of therespective channel member and to the respective pair of tabs. Thefastening members in some embodiments may pass through the apertures inthe support sheet that are created when the tabs are rotated out of theplane of the support sheet. Accordingly, the fastening members maycompletely encircle the channel members, passing beneath the lowersurface of the support sheet.

Alternatively, in other embodiments the fastening members may be shorterand may have their opposite ends adhered to the tabs to secure thechannel members to the support sheet.

In still other embodiments, the elongate fastening members can beomitted, and the channel members can be secured to the tabs by othertypes of fastening devices such as staples, adhesive, hook-and-loopfasteners, or other suitable fastening devices.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

Having thus described the disclosure in general terms, reference willnow be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarilydrawn to scale, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pallet in accordance with the priorart;

FIG. 2 is a top view of a support sheet of a pallet in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a top view of a portion of the support sheet, on an enlargedscale, to show details of one of the tabs; and

FIG. 4 is a partially exploded view of a pallet in accordance with oneembodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention now will be described more fully hereinafter withreference to the accompanying drawings in which some but not allembodiments of the inventions are shown. Indeed, these inventions may beembodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limitedto the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments areprovided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legalrequirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.

A non-wood pallet 10 in accordance with the prior art is illustrated inFIG. 1, which illustrates one of the aforementioned LOADRIGHT pallets.The pallet comprises a support sheet 12 of a material such as corrugatedcardboard, plastic, plastic-coated paper, or any other suitablematerial. The pallet also includes a pair of channel members 14comprising half-cylindrical paperboard tubes formed by dividing acircular cylindrical paperboard tube in half lengthwise. The open sidesof the channel members 14 are placed against the upper surface of thesupport sheet 12. Each of the channel members is secured to the supportsheet by adhesive tape members 16 (also referred to herein as “fasteningmembers”) that are wrapped over the upper surface of the channel member.There are two fastening members 16 per channel member, spaced apartalong the length of each channel member. The fastening members 16 areadhered to a pair of tabs 18 formed integrally with the support sheet 12and located on opposite sides of the respective channel member 14. Thetabs are formed by die-cutting the support sheet along a generallyU-shaped cut line having square corners, to form each tab as arectangular region of the support sheet. Each of the tabs is bent alonga bending line extending between the two ends of the respective cutline.

In the prior-art pallet, the bending line of each tab includedperforations extending partially through the thickness of the supportsheet 12 in order to make it easier to bend the tab along the bendingline.

It has been found that the tabs 18 of the prior-art pallet 10 are proneto tearing away from the support sheet 12 along the bending lines of thetabs when the pallet is loaded with a heavy bulk bag and the channelmembers 14 are subjected to certain types of loads, such as when thetines of a forklift exert sideways loads on the channel members 14,which can happen for instance when the forklift tines enter the channelsof the half-tubes along a direction that is not parallel to thelongitudinal axes of the half-tubes.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention asillustrated in FIGS. 2 through 4, the above-noted problem as well asother drawbacks of the prior-art pallet are addressed by certainmodifications to the tabs to which the fastening members are attached. Asupport sheet 112 in accordance with an embodiment of the invention isshown in FIG. 2. The support sheet comprises a material such ascardboard, plastic, plastic-coated paper, or other non-wood material.The support sheet may have a thickness ranging from about 0.005 inch toabout 0.5 inch, a width ranging from about 16 inches to about 70 inches,and a length ranging from about 16 inches to about 70 inches. Tabs 118are formed as integral portions of the support sheet by cutting throughthe thickness of the support sheet along cut lines 120 each of which isgenerally U-shaped. Each cut line 120 has spaced opposite ends 122between which a hinge line 124 extends. The hinge line 124 for each tabcan be formed by the support sheet 112 being locally crushed, withresultant thickness reduction, along a path extending between theopposite ends 122 of the cut line 120. Each tab 118 is rotated about therespective hinge line 124 such that the tab projects out of the plane ofthe support sheet.

Opposite ends 122 of the cut line 120 for each tab are locally curvedaway from each other so as to lengthen the hinge line 124. This has theeffect of distributing a given load exerted on the tab 118 over a largerarea, thereby reducing the stress on the paper material and hencereducing the likelihood of tearing of the tab from the support sheet.

In one embodiment, each tab 118 is crushed over its entire surface areasuch that the thickness of the tab is reduced to less than the thicknessof the other portions of the support sheet 112. This can make it easierto bend the tabs so that they generally conform to and lie flush againstthe cylindrical top surface of the channel members. The reduced tabthickness can also reduce the stress concentration on the channelmembers caused by the weight of the bulk bag exerted on the tabs.

Another feature of the present invention at least in some embodiments isthe absence of any cutting of the material of the support sheet alongthe hinge lines 124 for the tabs. This is in contrast to the prior-artpallet described above in which perforations were formed along the hingelines. The absence of such perforations also reduces the likelihood oftearing occurring along the hinge lines.

A further feature of the present invention at least in some embodimentsis the shape of the cut lines 120 that define the tabs 118. Inparticular, one advantageous shape avoids sharp or perpendicular cornersat the ends of the tabs 118 remote from the hinge lines 124. Rather, thecut lines 120 define rounded corners 126 for the tabs 118, as shown inFIG. 3. This can reduce the likelihood of the support sheet tearing atthe corresponding corners of the resulting hole in the support sheet.The rounded corners 126 of the tabs also can reduce the likelihood ofthe tabs being snagged by something, such as the bulk bag.

The pallet can also include a finger hole 128 for each tab 118, thefinger hole extending through the tab to allow a finger or tool to beinserted therein and pulled in order to rotate the tab about the hingeline 124. The finger hole for each tab can straddle the cut line 120defining the tab such that the finger hole is partially formed in thetab and partially formed in a portion of the support sheet adjacent thetab, as illustrated in FIG. 3. The finger holes can be circular, oval,or any other suitable shape.

A pallet 110 in accordance with an embodiment of the present inventionis shown in a partially exploded view in FIG. 4. The pallet includes thesupport sheet 112 described above, a pair of channel members 114, andfastening members 116 that are attached to the tabs 118 to secure thechannel members to the support sheet. As shown, the fastening members116 may be long enough to pass through the apertures created when thetabs 118 are rotated out of the plane of the support sheet, and tocompletely encircle the channel members 114, passing beneath (andadvantageously being adhered to) the lower surface of the support sheet,and also being adhered to the tabs 118 and the upper surfaces of thechannel members. Alternatively, the fastening members can be shortersuch that they terminate at the tabs 118 and are adhered to the tabs andthe upper surfaces of the channel members.

Pallets in accordance with the present invention can be used in eitherof two orientations. In a first orientation, the support sheet 112 isbelow the channel members 114 and sits directly on the floor; in asecond orientation, the pallet is turned over such that the supportsheet is above the channel members, and the channel members contact thefloor. Accordingly, references in the present application to directionssuch as “up”, “down”, “upper”, “lower”, and the like, should beunderstood as pertaining to only one possible orientation of the palletin use, and not precluding other orientations.

Pallets in accordance with the invention can be either 2-way entry or4-way entry. The pallet 110 of FIG. 4 is a 2-way entry pallet. Toconstruct a 4-way entry pallet in accordance with the invention, shorterchannel members are employed such that each of the channels for theforklift tines is formed by a plurality of spaced-apart channel membersthat are aligned such that their longitudinal axes are collinear. Spacesbetween the channel members allow the tines to enter from a directionperpendicular to the channel members.

There can be just one fastening member 116 per channel member 118(particularly if the channel member is relatively short), or there canbe two or more fastening members for each channel member, in which casethe fastening members can be spaced apart along the length of eachchannel member.

Furthermore, as noted previously, the elongate fastening members 116 canbe omitted, and the channel members 114 can be secured to the tabs 118by other types of fastening devices such as staples, adhesive,hook-and-loop fasteners, or any other suitable fastening devices.

While the illustrated pallet 110 has four tabs 118 per channel member114, the invention is not so limited, and there can be more than fourtabs per channel member, if desired.

Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forthherein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which theseinventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in theforegoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is tobe understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specificembodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments areintended to be included within the scope of the appended claims.Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a genericand descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.

1. A pallet comprising: a support sheet having a thickness and lyinggenerally in a plane; a pair of channel members disposed on the supportsheet, the channel members extending parallel to each other and beingspaced apart, thus creating a pair of channels for receiving tines of aforklift; and at least one pair of tabs for each said channel member,the tabs of each said pair being located adjacent laterally oppositesides of the respective channel member, each tab comprising an integralportion of the support sheet formed by a cut line of generally U-shapedconfiguration extending through the thickness of the support sheet, thecut line having spaced opposite ends between which a hinge line extends,the hinge line for each said tab being formed by the support sheet beinglocally crushed with resultant thickness reduction along a pathextending between the opposite ends of the respective cut line, each tabbeing rotated about the respective hinge line such that the tab projectsout of the plane of the support sheet; the channel members being securedto the tabs so as to secure the channel members to the support sheet andgenerally prevent relative movement therebetween; opposite ends of thecut line for each said tab being curved away from each other so as tolengthen the hinge line.
 2. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each said tabis crushed such that a thickness of the tab is less than the thicknessof the support sheet.
 3. The pallet of claim 1, wherein each said tabhas rounded corners at a side of the tab opposite from the hinge line.4. The pallet of claim 1, further comprising a finger hole for each saidtab, the finger hole extending through the tab to allow a finger or toolto be inserted therein and pulled in order to rotate the tab about thehinge line.
 5. The pallet of claim 4, wherein the finger hole for eachsaid tab straddles the cut line defining the tab such that the fingerhole is partially formed in the tab and partially formed in a portion ofthe support sheet adjacent the tab.
 6. The pallet of claim 1, furthercomprising an elongate fastening member for each said pair of tabs, eachsaid fastening member extending along an upper surface of the respectivechannel member and being secured to the respective tabs.
 7. The palletof claim 6, wherein each said fastening member comprises an adhesivetape having a lower surface on which an adhesive is disposed, theadhesive being adhered to the upper surface of the respective channelmember and to the respective tabs.
 8. The pallet of claim 1, wherein thehinge line of each said tab is free of any cutting of the material ofthe support sheet.
 9. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the support sheetis formed of cardboard.
 10. The pallet of claim 1, wherein the supportsheet is formed of plastic.
 11. The pallet of claim 1, wherein thesupport sheet is formed of plastic-coated paper.
 12. The pallet of claim1, wherein the channel members comprise half tubes formed by cutting acylindrical tube in half lengthwise.
 13. The pallet of claim 1, whereinthe channel members comprise paperboard.